The first thing that struck me about Benson was his desire for affection, but his simultaneous need to hide that desire. Rosemary warned us in advance that Malawi doesn't have a huggy culture, but immediately upon introduction Benson began leaning against me or putting his arm around my shoulders—all the while studiously avoiding eye contact. Unsmiling and serious most of the time, he would gamely chuckle when I made a joke—whether he understood it or not. And when the times to hug arose, he hugged so hard.
We arrived the first evening at Pastor Peter's in near-silence. Hoping to break the ice, I offered him the opportunity to play with my camera.
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Benson controlling the model shoot.
...and the resulting close-up photo.
During the village portion of Camp Malawi, the attendees were younger and the We Are One boys served as helpers. Rubina and I taught a health class, but when it turned out the children barely spoke English, I was reduced to standing by—they didn't need two people talking at them in a foreign langage.
To my delight, Benson stepped up and translated the lessons into Tonga. Savvy and mature, he never once asked for clarification when explaining how to keep various internal organs healthy, nor did he crack a smile when the children giggled over the word "sex" in the HIV discussion. Moffat observed the class for a few minutes, but Benson was not fazed in the slightest by his presence—I couldn't have been prouder.
 Rare shot of Benson smiling! |
One of the thinner, smaller boys, Benson is an insatiable eater...perhaps hoping to catch up to his growing brothers. This might also indicate his desire to catch up academically with the boys in Mzuzu. Rosemary has confirmed his high performance on exams this past year, which leads me to believe he may be positioning himself for the next scholarship. He was quite comfortable in the Wukani School and looking forward to getting there himself someday. I look forward to following his progress.
Helping Rubina translate the health lessons...like a pro.
I knew about Harrison's reputation as a gifted but stubbornly independent student before we met. Rosemarie told me he had the respect of his classmates—adorably, they called him a "genius"—but that he routinely disobeyed his teachers. I was intrigued. Making things even more interesting: Harrison was a leading candidate for enrollment at Wukani, a well-regarded school in Mzuzu. There were two spots open to the We Are One boys who went to school in the village of Kande Beach. If the criteria were just academic performance, Harrison would be a lock for Wukani. He was tops in his class. But Harrison's behavior was a concern. A decision regarding Harrison's fate, I was told, was imminent. ]]>
I was lucky enough to be buddies with two of the boys during our time in Malawi. At first, I was worried about being able to spend enough time with both boys equally. However, I soon found out that they balance each other. They fill each other's voids. When I couldn't quite hear or understand what Raphael was saying, Happy would repeat it to me with enthusiasm and clarity. When Happy was down or in an appearant funk, I would catch Raphael whispering in his ear to cheer him up. ]]>
Both of these boys are full of charisma, determination, drive and an overall joy for doing what is right. It was such an honor to be part of their daily activities during this time. Here is brief summary of what I learned about them and an update on their lives:
Upon meeting Humphrey you immediately recognize his sweet and genuine spirit. He has a concern and sensitivity for others that is expressed through his conversations and actions.
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